Chapter 67 I Don’t Feel Disgusted
Just when Xiao Ziran's "chasing his wife" and Liu Cong's strict protection seemed to have become a daily routine in the palace, another urgent report came from the border:
The Northern Di Kingdom, which has always had a delicate relationship with the Celestial Empire and has had increasing friction in recent years, suddenly sent an envoy headed by Zuo Xian Wang, claiming to congratulate the Celestial Prince on his recovery and discuss border trade matters.
The Northern Di people were fierce and strong, and their cavalry was powerful, making them a major threat to the northern part of the Celestial Empire.
The sudden dispatch of a high-level delegation at this time was definitely not just for congratulations and trade.
Liu Jin immediately summoned his ministers to discuss the matter.
In the court, the pro-war and pro-peace factions argued endlessly.
Liu Jin frowned, knowing that this matter was difficult.
The Beidi's visit at this time was inevitably intended to test their strength or even take advantage of the situation to rob them.
The domestic "owl feather" situation has not been eliminated, and the bandit problem in southern Xinjiang has not been resolved. If war breaks out again in the north, it will be extremely disadvantageous.
In the end, Liu Jin decided to remain unchanged in the face of all changes and ordered the Ministry of Rites to receive the Northern Di delegation with the highest standards. However, he also ordered the northern border defenders to strengthen their vigilance and ordered the second prince Liu Cong to be fully responsible for the security of the capital and the embassy area, and not to allow any chaos to occur.
Liu Cong felt even more depressed when he received the imperial edict.
The arrival of the Northern Di delegation was like adding another layer of pressure to an already taut string.
Not only does he have to guard against Xiao Ziran and the potential threat of "Owl Feather", he also has to deal with these fierce Northern Di people.
He worked almost non-stop to redeploy the defenses of the capital, especially separating the Beidi embassy area from Nanyue's residence, and sending a large number of sentries and spies.
The arrival of the Northern Di delegation seemed to have given the lurking "Owl Feather" a new opportunity.
Soon, some strange rumors began to spread in the hidden corners of the capital:
Some say that the Northern Di came this time to negotiate peace on the surface, but in fact they were putting pressure on the Celestial Empire to cede the fertile border pastures, otherwise they would march south.
Some said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had been poisoned before and had not truly recovered. In fact, he had already developed a chronic illness, making it difficult for him to inherit the throne. It was because the Northern Di heard this news that they dared to come and provoke him.
What's even more insidious is that there is an extremely secret rumor that actually points to the second prince Liu Cong!
Rumors suggest that the Second Prince, holding military power in the capital, is not without ambition for the Crown Prince position. This Northern Di invasion may be an opportunity for him to leverage their power and seize power...
These rumors were like the tongue of a poisonous snake, precisely provoking the nerves of the court, royal relations and the morale of the people.
Liu Cong was the first to notice these rumors and alarm bells started ringing in his heart.
This is definitely the work of "Owl Feather"!
They wanted to create chaos, alienate the emperor and his ministers, and even wanted to transfer him, the guardian, away from the prince.
He immediately intensified his investigation into the source of the rumors, and at the same time watched the Northern Di delegation's every move more vigilantly.
He discovered that among the followers brought by King Zuoxian of Beidi, there were several people with slim figures and sharp eyes. They did not look like ordinary warriors, but more like... spies or killers!
After the Northern Di delegation moved into the embassy, they indeed began to cause trouble frequently.
The Di people, led by Zuo Xian Wang, were arrogant and rude at the banquet. They repeatedly challenged the majesty of the Celestial Empire in their words and even deliberately clashed with the Celestial Empire's generals.
During a military exercise hosted by the Ministry of War, the Northern Di warriors defeated several Qing Dynasty generals in succession with their brute force, and their arrogance was extremely arrogant.
The Left Wise King, under the influence of alcohol, said frivolously to the Crown Prince Liu Xiao at the table:
"I've long heard that the Crown Prince of the Celestial Empire is a master of both civil and military arts. Seeing him today, he is indeed... extraordinarily handsome. I wonder if his skills are as remarkable as his looks? Why not come down and spar with the men of the Northern Di? That would broaden our horizons."
These words were full of contempt and provocation! Obviously, they had also heard the rumors about the prince's frail health.
Liu Xiao was provoked in public like this, his face turned red instantly and he clenched his fists.
He had indeed recovered to a large extent, and was about to stand up to fight, but Liu Cong beside him held his arm tightly.
Liu Cong stood up, his eyes as cold as ice as he looked at the Left Wise King. "Your Highness, you are joking. Your Highness is a noble prince, how could you possibly wrestle with a warrior? If Your Highness wishes to spar, I will be happy to accompany you."
His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable majesty and murderous intent, instantly drowning out the noise on the field.
Prince Zuo Xian looked at Liu Cong's murderous eyes, and felt an inexplicable chill in his heart. He laughed dryly twice and said, "Second Prince, you are joking. I was just joking. It was just a joke."
But the story doesn't end there.
Liu Cong realized that the Northern Di people seemed to be particularly "concerned" about the prince, which was definitely not a good thing.
He sent more people to protect Liu Xiao, almost to the point of never leaving his side.
However, the conspiracy of "Xiao Yu" is even more difficult to guard against. They used the Northern Di delegation to attract most of the attention, but secretly planned another action.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was strong.
A group of black-clad men with high martial arts skills sneaked into the East Palace like ghosts
They were agile and coordinated well, and were obviously very familiar with the layout of the Eastern Palace. They cleverly avoided many checkpoints and rushed straight to the prince's bedroom.
Their goal is very clear - to kidnap Crown Prince Liu Xiao!
Fortunately, Liu Cong had been prepared and he himself stayed outside almost every night.
When the man in black broke in through the window, Liu Cong woke up in shock, drew his sword, and fought fiercely with the assassin.
"There is an assassin! Protect the emperor!" Liu Cong's angry roar broke the silence of the night.
The guards of the Eastern Palace were immediately alarmed and rushed over. However, these assassins were extremely skilled in martial arts, especially the leader, whose swordsmanship was strange and ruthless. Liu Cong had a hard time dealing with them, and his arm was soon scratched!
Seeing an assassin breaking through his defense and rushing towards Liu Xiao on the bed in the inner room, Liu Cong's eyes were bloodshot. He ignored the knife coming from behind and rushed forward, blocking the knife with his body!
"Royal brother!" Liu Xiao was awakened and his face turned pale with fright when he saw the scene in front of him.
The knife cut deeply into Liu Cong's back, and blood gushed out instantly!
But Liu Cong seemed to feel no pain, and pierced the assassin's throat with his backhand sword.
He was like a wounded tiger, guarding Liu Xiao's bedside tightly, his eyes crazy and determined, and he actually forced the assassin back for a while.
At this moment, the sounds of a large number of guards arriving and fighting were heard outside.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the leader of the assassins blew a sharp whistle, and the remaining assassins immediately threw out smoke bombs and quickly retreated in the chaos.
"Chase!" Liu Cong forced himself to give the order, but then his eyes went dark, he staggered and fell, and was supported by the guards who rushed in.
"Royal brother! Royal brother!" Liu Xiao rushed over and looked at the hideous wound on Liu Cong's back and his pale face. Tears instantly welled up in his eyes and his voice trembled.
After this night, the news that the East Palace guards were useless shocked the court and the people! Emperor Liu Jin was furious and conducted a thorough investigation.
It was discovered that the assassin not only had strange martial arts skills, but also knew the rotation schedule and weak points of the East Palace very well. There must be a very high-level accomplice in the palace!
At the same time, although Liu Cong's men failed to capture the assassins alive when chasing them, they found a deeply hidden Beidi totem tattoo on one of the assassins who were killed!
When the news came, the whole court was in an uproar!
How dare they send assassins to raid the Eastern Palace at night with the intention of kidnapping the crown prince?
Although the totem could also be a frame-up, combined with the provocative words and deeds of the Northern Di delegation in recent days, their suspicion instantly rose to the maximum.
Liu Jin's face turned pale and he immediately ordered a siege on the Beidi embassy and a strict investigation of Zuo Xian Wang and all his followers.
Although Zuo Xian Wang denied it flatly and made all kinds of excuses, several of his followers were indeed acting suspiciously and were unable to provide alibis, so they were forcibly detained by the imperial guards.
The relationship between the two countries is about to reach a freezing point and war is about to break out!
Liu Cong, lying on the hospital bed, remained conscious for the last moment.
He endured the severe pain and whispered to Liu Jin who came to visit him, "Father... this matter... may be suspicious... The Northern Di may be reckless, but they shouldn't be so... foolish and straightforward... It seems... someone is deliberately framing the matter, trying to provoke... war between the two countries..."
Liu Jin felt both pain and comfort in his heart as he looked at his son who was seriously injured but still able to analyze rationally.
How could he not know that this matter was full of doubts?
But the Beidi totem on the assassin was irrefutable evidence, and the Beidi delegation's recent provocations were also facts. Whether it was a frame-up or not, the Beidi were inextricably linked.
"I know what's going on. You should take good care of your injuries." Liu Jin said in a deep voice, with a cold light flashing in his eyes.
"No matter who it is, if he wants to touch Xiao'er and disrupt our Celestial Empire, I will make him pay the price!"
The news that the Eastern Palace was attacked and the Second Prince sacrificed himself to save his brother quickly spread.
When Xiao Ziran learned about it, he wanted to rush into the palace to visit Liu Xiao immediately, but he was blocked by the unprecedentedly strict guards in the palace.
He hated the mastermind behind the incident with a vengeance, and at the same time, he was even more worried about Liu Jin's safety.
Liu Xiao stayed by Liu Cong's bedside day and night, personally feeding him medicine and wiping his body, his eyes red and swollen from crying.
Seeing his second brother being seriously injured while protecting himself, and still frowning and muttering "protect the prince" in a coma, the vague emotion in Liu Xiao's heart became incomparably clear and intense!
That's not brotherhood!
No older brother would go to such lengths for his younger brother.
The fervor in those eyes, the protection that disregarded life and death...it was clearly...
He recalled his second brother's usual restrained care, the time he nervously grasped his injured hand, and the countless figures guarding outside late at night... Everything now had an answer.
His heart was in a mess, filled with shock and confusion, but more than that, he felt an indescribable heartache and... excitement.
When Liu Cong woke up briefly from his coma and saw Liu Xiao standing beside him with red eyes, he subconsciously wanted to struggle to get up and check if he was injured.
"Don't move! Brother!" Liu Xiao quickly held him down, his voice filled with tears, "You're seriously injured..."
Liu Cong shook his head weakly, his eyes still fixed on Liu Xiao's face. After confirming that he was safe and sound, he breathed a sigh of relief, but then frowned again because of the severe pain.
"Xiao'er... I'm glad you're okay..." He uttered a few words with difficulty, the emotions in his eyes almost overflowing.
Liu Xiao looked at his pale face and those eyes full of worry and affection, and could no longer hold back and choked up.
"Royal brother... why... why are you so good to me... so good... that you don't even want to die..."
Liu Cong stiffened slightly when he heard this, and a trace of panic flashed in his eyes. He subconsciously tried to avoid his gaze and concealed it, saying, "Your Majesty...it's my duty..."
"It's not my duty!" Liu Xiao suddenly interrupted him, mustered up the courage to grab his uninjured hand, tears rolling down his face.
"The way you look at me... the way you look at me is not the way a subject looks at his monarch! It's not the way a brother looks at his younger brother! My royal brother, you..."
Liu Cong's heart trembled suddenly. Looking at Liu Xiao's tearful eyes that were filled with questioning and a hint of understanding, he knew that he could no longer hide it.
A feeling of despair washed over him. He closed his eyes, his voice hoarse and painful.
"Yes... I'm not... I have thoughts about you that I shouldn't have... I'm... dirty... I..." He even began to hate himself.
The expected disgust and rebuke did not come. He felt the hand holding him tighten, and then Liu Xiao's voice with a sobbing tone sounded softly.
"But... I don't seem to find it disgusting..."
Liu Cong suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Liu Xiao in disbelief.
Their eyes met, one was filled with shock and hope as if he had survived a disaster, the other was filled with tears and ignorant but sincere touch.
At this moment, outside the imperial palace, the situation was extremely tense because the Northern Di embassy was surrounded.
The real mastermind behind the scenes, "Owl Feather", is hiding in deeper darkness, observing all this and waiting for the next instruction.
Their purpose seems to be not only revenge, but also to disrupt the whole world.
Xiao Ziran's secret guards also detected some unusual movements. It seemed that a third party was secretly operating, and its target seemed to be the imperial palace...
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